


Grown Up Christmas List

by Shi_Toyu



Series: The FrostIron Collection [13]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Awesome Frigga, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Party, Good Loki, M/M, Odin's A+ Parenting, Thor Is a Good Bro, Tony Being Tony
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-20
Updated: 2014-12-20
Packaged: 2018-03-02 08:14:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,665
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2805704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shi_Toyu/pseuds/Shi_Toyu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Loki is pissed. He is SO pissed. This is his charity's biggest event of the year and he TOLD Clint not to hire a singer...but there's something about this one he just couldn't seem to put his finger on...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Grown Up Christmas List

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Blue Christmas](https://archiveofourown.org/works/2767640) by [Shi_Toyu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shi_Toyu/pseuds/Shi_Toyu). 



"Clinton Francis Barton, I will ring your neck!"

Loki Borison advanced threateningly on his go-to event planner, who was backing away from him with hands raised in a defensive position. His Winter Holiday Gala was his charity's biggest fundraiser of the year and he could not afford for anything to go wrong. The decorations were beautiful, tasteful and elegant enough for the highest of society yet not gaudy or ostentatious enough to be too much for a charity fundraiser. The food was perfect in both presentation and flavor and the staff was from a company they had used many times before and had always been happy with. Clint had always had an eye for the details, which made his major blunder on this affair all the more infuriating.

Loki jabbed a finger at the quaint stage that was being set up across the room. A slightly paunchy man was setting up the stage with an elegant piano and a microphone up front. His practiced movements and concentrated yet bored expression said he was help, but not the main performer. It didn't matter. The problem was obvious.

"I _explicitly_ told you not to hire a vocalist! Instrumentals only!"

Clint's back bumped against the bar and he jumped at finding himself trapped against Loki's advancing rage. His eyes darted around the ballroom, no doubt looking for Natasha, Loki's personal assistant, to save him.

"And I didn't! Not at first! I was gonna go with that quartet that's been getting so much attention lately but then Nat and I met up with Bruce and he recommended this guy! Jesus, Loki, wait until you hear him sing! I swear to God you won't regret it!"

Loki's teeth ground together and he all but growled. Across the ballroom, he could hear Chef Rogers calling his name to get his attention. He shot Clint a vicious glare and a, "You had best hope I do not," before turning away and striding towards the tall, blonde caterer. Chef Rogers was a gifted cook and ran his company with military efficiency. It helped that he was more than happy to provide for these events with the agreement that the charity would only have to pay for product and labor. He didn't make a dime.

"Chef Rogers, please tell me you are not about to give me bad news."

His laugh was deep and rich. Loki found himself smiling in spite of everything. Steve's joyful exuberance had always been a bit infectious.

"Actually, I wanted to introduce you to my best friend and business partner. We were talking the other day and I realized you'd never actually met him before." He waved forward a disgruntled looking man with shoulder-length black hair pulled into a ponytail. His eyes were wary in a way Loki had only seen in war vets and ex-cons. "Mr. Borison, this is Bucky Barnes. He does all of our desserts."

Suddenly, Loki's smile bloomed into a grin and he reached forward to shake the man's hand. He blinked in surprise when Bucky thrust his right hand forward, all but hiding his left arm behind his back, but he brushed it off.

"So you are the genius behind the pumpkin pie tarts from last year! I must confess, I think I ate more of those myself than I care to admit."

The corner of Bucky's mouth twitched and he inclined his head just a bit in thanks. They talked for a few more minutes before Loki moved on to make sure the rest of the Gala preparations were seen to. He'd almost completely forgotten about the vocalist disaster by the time guests began arriving. He was just greeting and making the rounds with the first arrivals when he was brought up short by the sounds of a piano.

He turned towards the stage to see two men had taken up their positions. A black man with a shaved head sat at the piano, hands gliding across the keys, but Loki's attention was drawn to the man at the microphone. He wasn't very tall, but he was well built in a way that said he cared about his appearance. His brunette hair was loosely slicked back and his facial hair was trimmed to perfection. He was drop dead gorgeous and, as he opened his mouth and launched into the first lines of White Christmas, Loki realized his voice was even more so.

The charity owner could do little more than stare at the man in wonder. The singer clearly enjoyed his work, letting his eyes fall closed as he swayed back and forth to the piano's notes. Forget ringing Barton's neck, Loki was going to give that man a bonus.

"Brother!"

Loki finally shook off whatever spell he'd fallen under to turn and see Thor approaching from across the room, flanked by his wife, Jane, and Frigga. They were dressed impeccably and it warmed Loki's heart to see them. After Odin had all but disowned him when he'd left the family oil business to found an environmental group and come out as gay, Thor and Frigga had refused to cut him out of their lives. They attended each and every fundraiser Loki hosted and Loki was pretty sure more than a few anonymous donations had come from Thor after he'd taken over the company for Odin.

The blonde wrapped him up in a hug that nearly lifted him off his feet. Loki grudgingly let him but brushed himself off with deep distain as soon as he'd been released. He shot Thor a glare that his brother brushed off with the ease of years of practice. Instead, he clapped an arm around Loki's shoulder.

"It is good to see you, brother! You have hardly had time to talk in the past month!"

"Yes, well that is what happens when one is responsible for running a charity during the busiest donation time of the year."

Thor laughed joyously and squeezed him closer.

"And what a fine job you have done! The Gala is as impressive as ever!"

Frigga stepped forward to clasp one of Loki's hands between two of her own. She was resplendent with her hair pulled back and Loki could not help but smile at her.

"Everything is beautiful, darling. It's wonderful to get to see you."

He leaned forward to press a kiss to her cheek, using the movement as an excuse to pull away from his brother.

"It is wonderful to see you as well, mother, and you, too, Jane. You are both looking as radiant as ever."

Frigga's laugh was like the tinkling of wind chimes as she swatted him affectionately on the arm.

"We're family, dear, you don't have to butter us up with compliments like you do all your other guests."

Her tone was fond, though, and Loki found himself teasing right back.

"Oh, mother, but it's such a nice change of pace to actually _mean_ it when I compliment someone for a change."

The evening passed pleasantly as Loki drifted from one guest to another. Every few minutes his gaze would drift back to the stage where the entertainer was still crooning away into the microphone. Loki had to admit, even just to himself, that he had never been more jealous of an inanimate object in his life.

Loki wasn't shy about his sexuality and he certainly had never been shy about the activities that went along with that sexuality. Normally he was very careful to keep anything untoward away from the charity. Bad press could be deadly for everything he'd worked so hard to achieve. He wasn't sure if the entertainer was even interested in men. Any advances would have to wait until the Gala was over, at the very least.

He sighed and headed towards the bar, intent on getting himself a drink to settle his frustrations. In the background, he could hear the entertainer turning the microphone over to his personal assistant so she could welcome everyone and encourage them to donate. Natasha was brilliant at this sort of thing. She truly was. He was lucky to have her.

It didn't take long for him to get an Amaretto Sour in hand and the taste of sweet alcohol on his tongue. He closed his eyes and hummed contentedly as he rolled the liquid around in his mouth. It'd been almost as long since he'd indulged himself in alcohol as it had been since he's indulged with another human being. That was clearly the underlying reason behind the strength of his desires.

"Wow…I wish someone would savor me the way you're savoring that drink."

Loki nearly choked on said drink but managed to swallow it down as he turned to look at the smirking man who'd managed to sneak up on him. The entertainer had his hands shoved in his pockets and was leaning back to give Loki a proper once over. Loki felt his body warm under his gaze.

"It has been a while since I allowed myself a drink."

The man stepped up beside him at the bar and waved down the bartender for a scotch.

"Yeah, I don't really have that problem. I've never been very good at denying myself things. I'm Tony, by the way."

This close up it was easy to make out the warm honey color of his eyes. They seemed to dance with mischief and happiness. He was clearly enjoying himself.

"I'm Loki. You have a wonderful voice."

The smirk turned into a grin, a hint of nostalgia shining through those eyes of his. It took Loki's breath away to see it.

"Thank you. My mother was the one who taught me how to sing." He shrugged. "Dad wasn't so thrilled with the idea."

Loki tipped his glass in the other's direction.

"Now that is a sentiment I know well. But I am glad you did not bend to his will. It would have been a shame not to have met you tonight."

Tony snorted and took a sip of his drink when the bartender slid it across to him, sliding back to her enough money to cover the cost as well as leave a generous tip.

"Who knows? Maybe you would have met me either way. If Dad had gotten his way then I'd probably have wound up on the other side of this thing, waving my checkbook around to make myself feel like a better person."

Loki's eyebrows rose, surprised that the man would actually say such a thing to his face but the entertainer seemed entirely unaffected by his faux pas. He instead let his eyes sweep across the ballroom before turning them back to Loki.

"But it's for a good cause, I suppose. Why not take advantage of some rich snobs if they want to make themselves look better? It gets the money to the people who need it, either way." He snapped his fingers, eyes lighting up. "It'd be like Robin Hood! Take from the rich and give to the poor, right?"

Loki couldn't hold back his snickers and he covered his mouth with one hand to hide them.

"I have never in my _life_ expected someone to compare my charity's fundraiser with Robin Hood. And we are an environmental group. We help keep the world clean, so the money doesn't exactly go to the homeless or some such."

Tony nearly dropped his glass.

" _Your_ charity?"

His voice sounded strangled and his eyes were wide with surprise. Loki only snickered more.

"I see you did not recognize your employer."

"Um, yeah, no. Pepper usually gives me the lowdown on my client but since this job was proxied through that asshole Clint-I mean, that hardworking, dedicated individual, Mr. Barton."

Loki reached out to pat Tony's shoulder reassuringly.

"Not to worry. I am quite aware he is an asshole…and I would never use the word 'hardworking' to describe him. Having him as an event planner is like dealing with a bag of cats."

Tony gave a bark of laughter.

"More like a bag of pigeons! That guy's all over the place! In all seriousness, though, you throw a nice party."

"I have had a bit of practice. I can only hope it will be enough for us to reach our donation goals for the year."

Tony grinned and stepped in a bit closer.

"I'm sure you will. The holiday season always makes everybody feel more generous than they normally would. I guess its Christmas magic and all that."

His tone sounded surprisingly sincere and Loki couldn't help but let the surprise slip across his face. Most adults couldn't muster that level of feeling for Christmas magic while keeping a straight face. Tony didn't seem bothered.

"I've always kind of loved Christmas, you know? It was the only time my family ever actually acted like a family…I'm pretty sure some years it was the only time we were all in the same place at the same time."

He frowned, but it was more thoughtful than sad. Whatever had happened during his childhood, he seemed to have come to terms with it. Loki couldn't help but wonder, though, what kind of parents he must have had that he only saw them both at the same time on Christmas. Not even Odin had been that bad, even if he'd spent most of his time disapproving of every little thing Loki did.

"I used to decorate the house with my mother the day after Thanksgiving every year," Loki volunteered. "I take decorating very seriously."

Tony gestured around the hall.

"I can tell."

"I hate to admit, but that is actually Mr. Barton's work."

Tony snapped his fingered with an exclamation of, "Drat!" and they were soon both laughing. Loki didn't think he'd gotten so much enjoyment out of a conversation in quite some time. Tony glanced over towards the stage, where Natasha was nearing the end of her speech.

"Well, it looks like I'm going to have to go soon. Make a deal with me?"

Loki chuckled again.

"I confess I have always been rather partial to deals. What is your proposal?"

Tony's return smile might have been described as predatory if it didn't have such warmth behind it.

"I've got something special in mind for my next song. If you like it, you let me take you out for coffee."

"And if I don't like it?"

"Then _you_ take _me_ out for coffee to sooth my wounded ego."

Loki snorted in a rather undignified fashion but hurried to cover it up.

"And if I am not gay?"

Tony's grin said he didn't believe that possibility for a second.

"Then I guess I just made a royal ass out of myself."

"Very well, then. I would hate to know I wasted my charity's money on someone who could not get back to the stage on time." Tony laughed as he turned away, but Loki wasn't done yet. "And Tony? I will be listening."

Tony's grin nearly split his face as he raised his scotch in a toast and scampered off. Loki saw him talking excitedly to his pianist in hushed tones as Natasha reintroduced them back to the stage. They climbed the stairs and Tony took the microphone back with all the grace of someone who belonged in the spotlight. The glass of scotch had disappeared somewhere along the way.

"I don't know about you all, but I'm feeling pretty inspired by the feeling in the air this evening, ladies and gentlemen. If it's not too much to ask, I'd like to take a moment to recognize the great man who brought us all together this evening. This man spends the entire year trying to help improve our planet and make it a better place for the rest of us to live, not just a few weeks during the winter months! He's pretty much my personal go-to for when a kitten needs saving from a tree." He paused for the light laughter that swept the room before sobering up and continuing on. "That kind of selflessness is something this world could use a little more of. I dedicate this next song to him, because I think it truly speaks to the good he is trying to give back to all of us."

With a nod at his pianist, the first notes of a song Loki had never heard before began to fill the room and then Tony began to sing.

_"Do you remember me? I sat upon your knee. I wrote to you with childhood fantasies. Well I'm all grown up now and still need help somehow. I'm not a child, but my heart still can dream!"_

The crowd was hushed, enraptured by the performance, and Loki was no different. He felt himself pulled closer to the stage, but at the same time felt as though he could not move at all.

_"So here's my life long wish, my grown up Christmas List…Not for myself, but for a world in need!"_

The music swelled and Tony's eyes flicked to catch Loki's own, holding that gaze as he sang what was clearly the chorus of the song.

_"No more lives torn apart, that wars would never start, and time would heal all hearts! And everyone would have a friend, and right would always win, and love would never end! This is my grown up Christmas List."_

The smile that was sent Loki's way felt like a sucker punch to his gut and he felt himself licking his lips even as he watched, completely enraptured.

_"As children we believed the grandest sight to see was something lovely wrapped beneath our tree! But Heaven only knows that packages and bows can never heal a hurting human soul!"_

Tony's eyes finally slipped closed as he launched into the chorus once again. Loki could tell even through his own befuddlement that this song clearly spoke to the entertainer on a personal level. It was clear he connected to it and, by doing so, he was connecting every other person in the ballroom.

_"What is this illusion called the innocence of youth? Maybe only in our blind belief can we ever find the truth!"_

His hands came up to cradle the microphone on its stand and he sang into the piece of equipment like his very life depended on it. It was breathtaking and it put every single one of his earlier songs to shame.

_"No more lives torn apart, that wars would never start, and time would heal all hearts! And everyone would have a friend, and right would always win, and love would never end! This is my grown up Christmas List-This is my only life-long wish! This is my grown up Christmas List."_

Tony's eye fluttered open once more as the song came to a close and the entire ballroom burst into applause. It seemed entirely not to matter, though, as his gaze sought out Loki's. The moment their eyes met, Loki felt such a rush of heat that he had to grab onto the bar to remain standing. Behind him, he vaguely registered the bartender making a noise of concern. She was a volunteer, and one he was very happy to have, but he didn't have the excess brain power to spare on her at the moment.

He pushed off of the bar and slipped into the crowd that dotted the floor. There must have been something about his expression that told people to stay away because not a single guest stopped him to talk. Or maybe it was more of that Christmas magic Tony was talking about. He approached the steps of the stage just as Tony was coming down them. Apparently it was the perfect moment for a piano solo. Loki couldn't agree more.

He and Tony stopped about a foot away from each other, neither speaking. There seemed almost as though there was some sort of bubble around them, freezing everything. Loki had no words to describe the feeling bubbling up in his chest. Across from him, Tony grinned. Loki was beginning to think it was his default setting.

"Yeah. I feel exactly the same way."

Loki laughed, almost, kind of. The sound didn't really make it out of his throat all the way, but he didn't really care. He took a step forward, closing the distance between them in a single stride. His hands itched to run across Tony's cheek.

"So…Coffee."

He really couldn't form any more words than that while those honey brown eyes were pinning him down. A flush of excitement was crawling its way across Tony's skin so he knew, at least, that he was not alone in his desires.

"Yeah…Coffee. I like coffee. And I'd really like coffee with you."

This time, the laugh made it past Loki's throat and came out breathy. He couldn't have wiped the obnoxious smile off of his face if he'd wanted to.

"Me too. I do believe you promised to take me out?"

The grin on the entertainer's face was blinding.

"Yeah! Of course! Just name a time!"

"Now?"

Tony's gaze flitted around the ballroom.

"Don't you need to hang out for the rest of your Gala?"

Loki waved his hand dismissively, mind on much more important matters.

"Natasha can handle it. Will your pianist be fine?"

"Rhodey? I'll never hear the end of it, but he'll make it through without a problem. It's a price I'm willing to pay."

Loki crooked an elbow out for Tony to take.

"Well, then. I do believe we have somewhere else we should be."

"Yeah…Hey, Loki?"

The black haired man turned to look at his companion out of the corner of his eye as they made their escape from the ballroom. He hummed in acknowledgement, but gave no verbal response.

"I just thought you should know, I'm adding you to my Christmas List."

Loki laughed, this one full and bright.

"That, my dear, is one item I can _guarantee_ Santa will be bringing."

**Author's Note:**

> Check out my other Christmas fics! A link to the first one is provided at the top of the page as Inspired By!


End file.
